CYCLING Preview: Season titles for U.S. Freestylers Bruce and Roberts?

2017 BMX Freestyle World Champion Hannah Roberts

The final leg of the 2018 UCI BMX Freestyle World Cup is in Chengdu (CHN), with seasonal titles on the line, with two U.S. riders at the top of the standings:

Men:
1. 2,390 Nick Bruce (USA)
2. 2,260 Daniel Dhers (VEN)
3. 1,950 Marin Rantes (CRO)
4. 1,900 Martin Logan (AUS)
5. 1,850 Justin Dowell (USA)

Women:
1. 2,770 Hannah Roberts (USA)
2. 2,740 Lara Lessmann (GER)
3. 2,540 Oike Minato (JPN)
4. 2,290 Nikita Ducarroz (SUI)
5. 2,140 Angie Marino (USA)

The scoring in BMX Freestyle is 1,000-900-820-770-720 for the top five places and on down to one point for 50th, so the seasonal title is up for grabs.

Bruce, 26, is coming back from a July injury, but won the second leg at Montpellier (FRA). Logan won the last World Cup, held in Edmonton (CAN), and is the reigning UCI BMX Freestyle World Champion from 2017, incidentally also held in Chengdu!

The gold, silver and bronze medalists from the 2017 World Championships for women are 1-2-5 in the standings in 2018. American teenage sensation Roberts, 17, is the current World Champion, but has only a 30-point lead over silver winner Lessmann, now 18. Marino won bronze at the 2017 Worlds and with this scoring format, could vault all the way to the top. Roberts won in Hiroshima and Edmonton and Minato took gold in Montpellier.

The final will be on Sunday; look for results here.